Choc-chip Cookie Slice!

These have literally been on my 'to bake list' for a year.  As much as I'm a fan of choc-chip cookies rolling many of them can get a bit on the tedius side and the number of batches in the oven can take forever.... so these are a great alternative for those with no time to lose!

I think these are great for school parties or 'take a plate' type deals.  I can also vouch these are perfect for freezing (already baked) in your freezer and reheat in bar style to serve with vanila icecream.

They don't need to be slices either - for our girls I did cut some into squares.

Makes 24 bars or 48 squares

Ingredients:

300g butter at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

230g milk choc chips

Method:

Preheat oven to 190 degrees c

Grease a cookie baking tray generously with butter, ensuring you get into the corners and all the way up the edges and tops.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla extract.

Then add two cups of the flour with 1 tsp of baking powder and mix well.  Add final two cups of flour and baking powder until fully combined and then add 3/4 of your full packet of choc-chips and mix a final time until combined.

Spoon out onto the cookie sheet and press into the edges.  Make sure it's as evenly flat as possible.

Then sprinkle over the remaining 1/4 packet of your chocolate chips on top. Press them in slightly.

Bake on middle shelf for 25 minutes then sit out on a cooling tray (still in the cookie sheet for one hour.

Slice up and leave for another 30 minutes before moving the pieces to cool down on the cooling tray.

At this point, if you wanted to have some with icecream, I wouldn't only blame you, I'd join you.

These can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer.  Store in the fridge for 2 weeks or the freezer for 3 months.

Here's some othere choc-chip cookie recipes I love:

Choc-chip vanilla funfetti cookies

Malted choc-chip cookies

M&M cookies

Chunky cookies

Browned butter and cinnamon apple slice

This recipe takes me back to my childhood to when my grandparents used to make afternoon tea. .. I never knew my grandparents as a couple, they divorced long before I was born (and long before it became 'acceptable' in society).  In any case, they both baked and loved to bake for their family for morning or afternoon tea.  You'd never have caught either of them buying baked goods, and I'm mostly the same, mostly because I love the creative and nurturing aspect of cooking for others, but also for cost.  Back in my grandparents' day I'm sure even more so.

This is super easy, you don't need any fancy mixers of equipment and it uses ingredients you could easily have laying around the cupboard and fridge.  The browned butter gives it a more caramelly and rich taste, and the slice makes at least 12-15 pieces, or even more if want to spread it further!

Ingredients:

Crust

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup wholemeal flour

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tb brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

150g butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

5 cups sliced apples (I basically cut 8 pieces from 1 apple)

2 eggs

2/3 cup white sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup plain flour

150g butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees c

Line a 13 x 18 inch rectangle cake tin with oil and baking paper

In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients and mix up with a fork.

Melt your butter and mix in your vanilla extract.  Gradually add to the dry ingredients stirring well with the fork.

It should come together like breadcrumbs.  Don't worry if it's a bit on the dry side, just get in with your fingers if necessary and make sure there's no big lumps

Press into the bottom of the tin and then bake for 20 minutes.

While that's baking peel and cut your apples or if you're like me and have some in the freezer (I love when I can get apples at 80c a kilo!).

Then get your butter browned.. remember this isn't burnt! This is not browned... it will froth up first..

THIS is frothy.

Then it becomes brown on top.. take it off the heat now an put into a jug or bowl.

See how it's brown on the bottom?

Put the topping dry ingredients in a bowl, mix then add eggs.

Slowly add the vanilla and the browned butter and mix until smooth.. won't take long.

Add your apples and coat them well.

Add to the base and flatten out all the apples so there's an even coating.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top.  Cool on a rack to allow the bottom to get cool as well.

Slide out when cool onto the bench or chopping board and slice how you like..

Dust with icing sugar when ready to serve!

I managed to sneak a piece when putting into an airtight container to take to church, but didn't get a chance for a second piece, all gone!

No bake chocolate splodge slice

This is a chocoholic slice.  If you are a chocoholic or you are catering for chocoholics - read on.  I made a double batch that makes easily 20 pieces so if you are catering for a crowd, you may like to do that too.  If not just keep to the ingredients listed here. 

It's very simple to put together - and you can mix it up a bit - I used Reeses pieces and hob-nobs but use choc-ripple biscuits or choc wheatens and M&Ms or smarties or whatever you like :)  Colour-co-ordinating it to party colours, or your special cause or whatever!  Be creative!

Ingredients:

150grams hob-nobs (or biscuits of your choice)

145grams butter

145 grams of 50% dark chocolate

150ml condensed milk

100g milk chocolate

150g reeses pieces (or smarties/m&ms of your choice)

Method

Line a loaf pan with baking paper ensuring it reaches all sides.

In a bowl, break up your hobnobs/biscuits.

Add half your Reese's pieces.

In a jug or microwave proof bowl add butter and chocolate and heat on 50% for 1 minute, remove and stir and then repeat for another minute.  If not completely melted keep microwaving in bursts of 20 seconds on 50% power. Stir well between each burst.

 Yum.

Add your condensed milk and stir well.

Add to the biscut mix.

Pour into your tin and then put in the fridge for 20 minutes until it sets.

Repeat the process with melting the milk chocolate, 50% power for 1 minute, then stir and repeat until melted.  Pour over the top of the chilled slice.

Now add the other half of your Reese's pieces to the top, or get a special assistant to help ;)

Be as creative or random as you like.

Chill for another 20 minutes.

Slice with a hot knife into slices and store individually in strips of baking paper.

These would be fabulous with icecream I think!  

Simplest choc caramel and pecan slice in the world - done in less than an hour!

Those Filipinos love their chocolate.  They love anything sweet and the more sugar and syrup, the better.    I made this quickie slice one day to take into my team because a) they deserve it!  b) I knew they'd love it and c) I saw graham crackers and I couldn't resist (We don't get those in Australia easily!).

Of course if you can't get graham crackers, use whatever biscuit you like - if you there's never enough chocolate you could use choc ripple cookies or try some good ol' milk arrowroot biscuits with a teaspoon of allspice and a tablespoon of honey mixed in with the melted butter.

You literally chuck this together, it does not take more than 10 minutes to get it in the oven!!   They are rich, you don't need much and they are perfect to share!  This slice makes at least 24 squares or rectangles, depending how big you like to cut eat them.

Ingredients

250g biscuits of choice 

100g butter, melted

1.5 cups pecans

1.5 cups chocolate chips/buttons

1 tin condensed milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 190 degrees c

Line a tin with baking paper or foil, grease well.

 Process your biscuts in a food processor or place in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until like breadcrumbs.

Mix through butter until moist like sand.  Depending on your biscuits you may need more/less butter.

Press into the bottom of your tin.

Sprinkle over pecans evenly, then choc chips.  Lastly pour over condensed milk, ensure it's as even as possible.

Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the condensed milk becomes caramel-like

 Leave to cool for about 20 minutes, then turn out, and slice.

Store in airtight container for up to a week in refrigerator.  You, your family and friends won't believe how something so delicious is so simple!